HCM City cleans up the workplace

Update:
January, 22/2016 - 09:14

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A robot is being operated at the Cho Lon Plastic Company in HCM City. Many workplaces in HCM City are plagued with light and noise pollution that may cause occupational diseases. — VNA/VNS Photo Van Khanh

HCM CITY (VNS) — Workplace safety and hygiene improved slightly at HCM City companies last year, according to the city Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health.

Speaking at a meeting held to review labour safety and hygiene on Wednesday, Pham Thi Ngoc Loan, the centre's deputy head, said of 15,430 workplaces inspected last year, only 0.09 per cent of them had excessive humidity compared to 0.31 per cent in 2014.

Inspectors also measured dust and the rate of workplaces where it exceeded allowed limits was 0.78 per cent compared to 1.4 per cent the previous year, she said.

As a result, the number of workers with 14 occupational diseases like pneumoconiosis, deafness, and benzene and lead poisoning declined sharply – to 48 out of 19,609 from 215 out of just 15,321 – she said.

Deafness was the leading problem, affecting the largest number, she said.

However, she admitted that nearly 65 per cent of workplaces were still plagued by risky elements like high temperature and light and noise levels, which cause occupational diseases.

Dr Huynh Tan Tien, the centre's head, said these factors could reduce the working quality of workers.

The enterprises have been ordered to eliminate these problems to ensure workers are comfortable, he said.

Doctors from the centre and district preventive health centres periodically examined workers at 385 enterprises, and found 44 per cent of them in good or very good health, Loan said.

This was done to help enterprises find suitable jobs for their workers based on their health status, she said.

The centre also inspected 136 schools last year to provide data to school leaders and district education officials, she said.

It found that only 66 per cent of the schools had standard lighting while the air quality was sub-standard at 80 per cent of them.

Students at the schools were tested for scoliosis, or abnormal curvature of the spine. District 7 had the highest rate of students with the affliction - 37 per cent – followed by Can Gio (32 per cent) and District 4 (19 per cent). — VNS